Document Type
Thesis - University Access Only
Award Date
2009
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department / School
Communication and Journalism
Abstract
This study divides college students into groups based on their opinions about the typography in textbooks. While an important component of any book's appeal is the visual presentation of the material, student aesthetic preferences of the typefaces for textbooks have rarely been studied. Q methodology, a method that asks participants to sort objects according to subjective preference, was used to collect and analyze the data about typeface preference in textbooks. This methodology is especially suited to preliminary research used to obtain a deeper and subjective understanding about under-explored concepts like typographic preference. The researcher was able to parse out four distinct groups of students. The four - "The Trendy People," "The Practical Comfort Seekers," "The Detail-Oriented Analytics," and "The Conservative Readers" - were based upon individual subjective sorting patterns of 20 different textbook pages. These findings can serve as a basis for further research into the effects of visual preferences of typefaces that may enhance the level of college students' engagement with textbooks assigned for courses. Further studies can also be expanded to other demographics and reading media.
Library of Congress Subject Headings
Display type
College textbooks
College students -- Attitudes
Q technique
Format
application/pdf
Number of Pages
129
Publisher
South Dakota State University
Recommended Citation
Buehner, Tara M., "A Q-study of Display Type's Visual Impact in College Textbooks" (2009). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1563.
https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd2/1563
